The projects have been delivered following funding from Sport England and Orbit South Housing Association, and have been delivered with assistance from the Trusts’ Positive Futures programme. Part of the year long project will be to deliver fitness sessions to women from in and around Larner Road, Erith.

Sport England is focused on the creation of a world-leading community sport system. They invest National Lottery and Exchequer funding in organisations and projects that will grow and sustain participation in grassroots sport, and create opportunities for people to excel at their chosen sport. While the other funder, Orbit South owns and manages a diverse range of properties in Kent, East Sussex, Surrey and South London. The Association is part of the Orbit Group, one of the largest and most successful housing providers in the country.

The Positive Futures programme is a national activity-based social inclusion programme for young people, managed by young people's charity, Catch 22, and funded by the Home Office. Part of the funding is used to ensure all round provision, not only encompassing the young people, but now including the parents so that key messages given out can be further re-enforced by the parents through the new knowledge they have acquired.

The fitness project based at Orchard House Community Hall, Erith has been kindly donated free of charge by Orbit South Housing Association who have been very proactive in ensuring all the projects succeed, and seek to address some of the local issues faced within the area.

The initial session involved the participants filling out registration forms before they will embarked on a journey of blood, sweat and maybe tears enduring strenuous exercises designed to tone & define muscle, address weight loss, target core, back & abdominals, and hit the infamous ‘legs, bums and tums'.

Ten women signed up on the opening day and the numbers are steadily rising which will lead to more delivery. Local girl, Natalie Lane 25, will be tasked with putting these women through their paces as they seek to realise their targets/goals. Although young, Natalie has been a gym instructor for seven years, personal trainer for five years and has already built up a great rapport with the group.

Laura Spring, said: "It's been brilliant, I am so happy that I have chance to get high quality fitness instruction and advice for free.  It's now given me the boost to walk to more places instead of using the car."

Over the course of the year long programme the women will be weighed on a regular basis, have their dietary habits monitored and be given nutritional advice and guidance. There are also plans for healthy food workshops which will aim to provide cheap and easy meals which are full of flavour but low in calories.

Gareth Thomas, Community Investment Officer for Orbit South Housing Association said: "It's great to see so many of our residents attend and take part in the 'Inches Away' programme.

"Through working closely in partnership with Charlton Athletic Community Trust and other providers we are committed to providing activities for our residents that not only improve health, but are also fun and give residents the opportunity to get together."

We are currently watching the space to see the progress made by the participants on the programme.